Duplex control for flexibly-mounted guns



DUPLEX CONTROL FOR FLEXIBLY MOUNTED GUNS Filed April 30, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l awvemtoz Aug; 26, 1924. 1,505,959

H. B. INGLIS DUPLEX CONTROL FOR FLEXIBLY MOUNTED GUNS Filed April 30. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E i a: v x c :5

H. B. INGLIS DUPLEX CONTROL FOR FLEXIBLY MOUNTED GUNS Filed April 30, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES HENRY 13. menrs,

OF DAYTON, OHIO.

DUPLEX CONTROL FOR FLEXIBLY-MOUNTED GUNS.

Application filed April 30, 1923. Serial No. 635,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. INGLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and 'State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Duplex Controls for F lexibly-Mounted Guns, of which the following is a specification.

M This invention relates to a mounting for machine guns and is particularly adapted to be used on airplanes although capable of other applications.

An object of the invention is to provide the gunner operating turret mounted guns,

with a means for instantaneously releasing the devices locking the gun support in elevation, or the turret ring in rotation, and quickly shifting the position of the gun support and turret ring. According to my invention, this release is involuntary, and apart from any action excepting the push or pull which the gunner naturally exerts to shift the gun support and turret ring.

, The invention is carried into practice by first providing a single control handle attached to the gun support, so that the support may be moved by means of the handle grip with one hand, as auxiliary to similar pressure of the other hand on the gun. Sec- 0nd, the two component movements of the gun support, that is, lateral rotation of the turret, and elevation of the bow have separate locking systems which hold the gun support in any position to which it may be adjusted when the handle is released. Third, the release of either, or both, of these locking systems is immediately effected by pressure upon the control handle in that direction in which the gunner naturally exerts a force to shift the support.

Other objects of the invention consisting of novel features of construction and arrangements of parts will become apparent as the description proceeds. The invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the movable ring showing the bow and asso- V ciated parts in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view, showing certain parts in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the releasing handle and associated parts;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views, enlarged, taken at right angles to each other,

of the controlling mechanism and associated parts.

Like numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the views of the drawing. The numeral 10 designates the fixed ring of a flexible turret gun mount. In airplanes 14 are secured to the movable ring and inclined braces 15 brazed to said posts and also attached to the movable ring act to reinforce the posts and distribute the recoil stress incident to the firing of the machine gun carried by the gun mount.

One of the posts 14 is provided at the top with recesses 16, 17 leaving a centrally projecting tongue 18. A bow having preferably two inclined tubular sides 19, 20 is provided with a tubular insert or socket 21 at the intersection thereof adapted to receive the stem of a single or double machine gun mounting yoke. The outer ends of the sides 19, 20 of the how are bent'to form short parallel extensions 22, 23. The extension 23 is recessed toreceive the projecting tongue 18 and is provided with an arm 24 hearing on one side against said tongue and engaging in recess 16. A plate 25 having an are shaped extension or sector 26 is mounted in recess 17 and is secured to the side 23 of the bow by a bolt 27.

The extension 22 is provided with an arm 24 similar, to the arm 24 and has attached thereto by means of a bolt 27 a plate 25 carrying a sector 26 similar to the plate 25 and sector 26 above described. A U-shaped frame 28 is formed with a sleeve 29 which embraces the post 14 associated with exten sion 22 and is secured to the post by rivets;

30. A slot in the tubular post 14 permits one arm of a lever 31 to project into the post,- the lever being located within the U-shapcdframe and pivoted on a pin 32 mounted'in the sides thereof. A bolt 33 passing through plate 25, tongue 18 and arm 24 pivotally c0115 nects extension 23 of the bow to one post 14. In a similar manner a bolt 33 passing 1 mg position.

through plate tongue 18 and arm 24 pivotally connects extension 22 of the bow to'the other post 14. The operating handle 34 has an enlarged hub 34 with laterally projecting lugs 35 curved to be concentric with the bolt 33 and extending through the adjacent side wall of a clutch housing 36 fast on the upperpart of post 14.

The lugs operate between movable clutch members 37, such as balls or rollers, which in turn operate between an outer annular clutch face 38 and an inner cam face 39 on the arm 24 of the-extension 22 of the bow side member 19. The rollers 37 are yieldingly held in clutching position by springs 40 which press the rollers toward the ends of the lugs 35. The lugs 35 are a little shorter than the distance between the rollers, as shown in Fig. 4 so that a slight movement of the handle 34 is necessary to cause the lugs 35 to shift the rollers 37 to unclutching position, whereupon the bow 19, 20, may be moved to change the elevation of the gun. Upon relaxing the handle 34 the rollers 37 are immediately returned to clutching position by the springs 40. The movement of the handle 34 in either direction will bring about the action first described.

The means for locking and unlocking the ring 11 consists of a locking bolt 41 slidable into and out of engagement with holes 42 in the stationary bed rail 10. The bolt 41 extends longitudinally upward within the post 14, which is tubular and has at its upper end a head 42 beneath which engages the lifting arm of the lever 31 above described. A spring 41 holds the bolt 41, in looking position. The lever 31 is connected by a coupling stud 43 to the lower end of an unlocking lever 44 having a pivotal connection at 45 with the handle 34 above described. Another lever 46 pivot-ally mounted on the handle 34 at 47 has one arm thereof connected by a pin 48 to the upper arm of lever 44, the lower arm of lever 46 working through an opening 49 in the handle 34. Knobs or hand grips 50 are fixedly secured to the upper ends of the levers 44 and 48 and normally held apart by an interposed expansion spring 51 which permits the knobs to be pressed toward each other. Pressure on either knob 50 will operate the lever 44 and through the operating connections above described withdraw the bolt 41 from its lock-- By continuing to press the same knob in the same direction. the ring 11 carrying the bow members 19, 20, will be moved in the same direction along the bed rail 10 thus shifting the gun about its vertical axis.

The counterbalancing means for the weight of the gun and its supporting bow, comprises coiled springs 52 mounted in cylindrical housings fastened at one end to thering 11. Flexible cables 54 fastened at one end to spring compassing followers 55 extend through the respective springs 52 and housings 53 and pass over guide pulleys 56, then upwardly and are secured at their upper ends to the sectors 26 and 26 above referred to.

I claim 1. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, a means for locking said gun support against movement about one of said axes, another means for locking said gun support against movement about the other ofsaid axes, and a single control handle for releasing the two said locking means by initial pressure in the direction in which such pressure when continued will move the gun support.

2. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, a means for locking said gun support against movement about one of said axes, another means for locking said gun support against movement about the other of said axes, and a single control handle for releasing the .two said locking means by initial pressure in the direction in which such pressure when continued will move the gun support, the linkage between said two locking means and said handle being such that the two locking means may be released independently or simultaneously.

8. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, a means for locking said gun support against movement about one of said axes, another means for locking said gun support against movement about the other of said axes, and a single control handle for releasing the two said locking means by initial pressure in the direction in which such pressure when continued will move the gun support, the linkage between said two locking means and said handle beingsuch that the release of the gun supportmay be efiected for movement laterally or in elevation.

4. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, a means for locking said gun support against movement about one of said axes, another means for, locking said gun support against movement about the other of said axes, and a single control handle for releasing the two said locking means by initial pressure in the direction in which such pressure when continued will move the gun support, the linkage between said two locking means and said handle being such that the release of the gun support may be effected for movement laterally or in elevation independently or simultaneously.

5. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, a means for locking said gun support against movement about one of said axes, another means for locking said gun support against movement about the other of said axes, and a single control handle for releasing the two said locking means by initial pressure in the direction in whlch such pressure when contlnued Wlll move the gun support, the linkage between said two locking means and said handle being such that the release of the gun support may be effected for movement laterally or in elevation or in a direction resulting from a combination of lateral and vertical movement.

6. In combination, a gun support movable about axes which permit universal aiming of the gun supported thereby, locking mechanisms for preventing movement of the gun support about said axes, a single control handle, and linkages between said handle and locking mechanisms adapted to release the gun support when pressure is exerted by the gunner on said handle in the direction required to swing the gun toward aiming position.

7. In combination, a gun support movable about an axis, means for locking the gun support against movement about such axis, and a movable controlling device for controlling said locking means, the controlling device being mounted so that a force applied to it in the same direction in which it is desired to move the gun support releases the gun support for movement in that direction.

8. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, means for locking the support against movement about the first axis, means for locking the support against movement about the second axis, and a controling mechanism which is movable in one di-' rection to unlock one of said locking means, and is movable in another direction for unlocking the other of said locking means.

9. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, means for locking the supportagainst movement about the first axis, means for locking the support against movement about the second axis, and a controlling mechanism having movement about tWo separate pivots, movement about one pivot serving to unlock one of said locking means, and movement about the other pivot serving to unlock the other of said locking means, the two mentioned movements being independent of each other.

10. In combination, a gun support movable about two axes, means for locking the support against movement about the first axis, means for locking the support against movement about the second axis, and a controlling mechanism for controlling each of said locking means, the controlling mechanism being movable in two directions whereby a force app-lied to the controlling mechanism in the same direction in which it is desired to move the gun support serves to unlock the gun support and allow it to move in that direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY B. INGLIS. 

